Insignificant Anymore
by HeatherGrey07
Summary: Frustrated, Lavender Brown was frustrated. Time won't stop flying, her son wouldn't stop crying, and she couldn't find a babysitter. All she had wanted was to clip his bangs before she left for work and had to drop him off at her neighbor's house.


I'm back with another sad, short story. Also, now it's summer so I am WRITING, and so excited to bring my stories to you guys! But, for now, you guys get this wonderful little number. I used the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition prompt 'She didn't want to be insignificant anymore,' and the given one "Uh … no, thanks. No snip snip." Enjoy!

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Frustrated, Lavender Brown was frustrated. Time won't stop flying, her son wouldn't stop crying, and she couldn't find a babysitter. All she had wanted was to clip his bangs before she left for work and had to drop him off at her neighbor's house. But, her neighbors had backed out last minute, her son wouldn't stop protesting as soon as he saw the scissors, and it was beginning to look like there would be no work today. But she couldn't afford for there to be any work today, she could barely pay for 2 meals a day. How did this become her life?

— 9 Years Prior —

Her school years always seemed to go her way. She was arguably the most popular girl in Gryffindor, she had the best friends that would stick by her side, she had decently good grades and an amazing boyfriend. And despite the events of the outside world, she lived in her own blissful, teenage bubble. She ignored it until she couldn't anymore

When her seventh year rolled around, and the war seemed to arrive on her doorstep. It shook her reality, but she did her hardest to take it in stride. She was instrumental in restarting Dumbledore's Army and took it upon herself to defend those who couldn't defend themselves from the Carrows. She tried her hardest to be remembered for fighting on the side of good, and she would've succeeded if it weren't for her confrontation with Fenrir Greyback in the Battle of Hogwarts.

He had cornered her and used his stronger disposition to keep her there. Lavender remembers his sharp fangs as he feasted on her neck. No matter how loud she screamed, or how much she fought back, she was still helpless to his attack. Thankfully it was Professor Trelawney's assault on the savage wolf that saved her. According to the doctors at Saint Mungo's, she was only minutes away from death. Yet, her life-risking experience didn't leave her without scars. Greyback's last action on this earth was to infect her with the same condition that had shaped him his whole life, lycanthropy. She was cursed with the full-fledged werewolf gene, resulting in painful transformations every full moon.

The condition was bad as it was, but the worst part had to be the isolation she felt with afterward. The only werewolf she had known, Remus Lupin, was dead. And since most others at the time had sided with Greyback in the war, they were also all dead or locked up. She had tried her hardest to reach out to previously neutral, nearby packs who might be able to take her under their wing. But, upon hearing she was spawned from Fenir himself, every one of them abandoned her just as fast as they had invited her in.

Her traditionally Pureblood family disowned her, still refusing to accept any inevitable diversity. Her previously close friends were all dead, or just plain ignorant to her new normal. The wizarding world's new "heroes," never answered her calls for help, apparently being too busy. Her heroic deeds in the war were forgotten, and she was left homeless, no job, no friends, and no savings.

After no one would hire her, she was forced to sell herself for even just a little money, finding solace in titles like "sugar baby," or " street whore." But none of it ever lasted, her condition coming to light eventually. All it left her with was a little cash, but a lot of pain and self-hatred. It wasn't until she wasn't as careful as she should've been with one of her nightly clients, and ended up pregnant, that she had any motivation for anything better.

She stopped selling herself and found a muggle waitressing job in a little dump downtown. It didn't pay much, and it wasn't very classy, but it left her feeling fulfilled after a long night. Which is more than any of her previous jobs offered. She bought a small apartment, with enough space for her new baby. She began to pull her life together. It still wasn't perfect, and being a single Mom isn't easy. She was hopeful, for the most part. But there was still a longing. Deep down, she didn't want to be insignificant anymore. She wanted to do something worthwhile.

— The Present —

"Uh … no, thanks, Mommy. No snip snip." Her son cried at her, still protesting his haircut.

"Please baby, just let me cut your hair. I need to got to work." Lavender pleaded, tears coming to her eyes in frustration.

"No Mommy! No! No Mommy!" He screamed as Lavender looked at her watch, beginning to cry. Even if she tried, she wouldn't be able to get to work anywhere near when she should normally. Lavender was just so upset.

She just proceeded to sit down at the small kitchen, putting her head in her hands. Lavender could still hear her son screaming around their apartment, but she lacked the energy to do anything to stop him. God, this was never supposed to happen.

"Mommy, there is an owl out our window!" Her son began to scream, changing his tone quite quickly from his haircut protests.

For a minute, a glimmer of hope shone in the girl. An owl, she hadn't received an owl in some time. But she quickly dismissed any thought of that, who would be sending her an owl?

"Mommy!" Her son screamed again, "Owl!"

Lavender sighed but reluctantly got up from her seat. "I'm sure there is no owl honey." She began, but she quickly stopped short when she saw a beautiful tawny owl outside her window, holding a letter. "Go to your room." She told her son as he ran off, allowing her to let the owl in peace.

It swooped in as soon as it got a chance, dropping its letter at her feet then resting on the arm of her nearby sofa. "Lavender." The letter read as she opened it up. "It's been some time, and I know you probably hate me. Granted, I would hate me too. But this isn't about me. I have a student this year, a first year, who is a full werewolf. His parents sent him to Hogwarts hoping he would be safe, but none of us know how to help him. You were the only person I know who would have any idea what to do. We will pay you, but please come live at Hogwarts for the time being. You need to help this kid, he needs you. Sincerely, Neville Longbottom."

At first, Lavender was furious, how dare he come back after all this time demanding her help. But as she walked towards the doorway to her son's room and saw him playing with his train on the floor, she knew she had to do it. If not for the money, but to help another poor child who felt like everything wasn't working out. To provide the guidance no one was there to give her, guidance that might've set her on a better path, all those years ago.


End file.
